Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Turkiye sign joint defence agreement in Makkah

Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Turkiye on Friday signed the “Makkah Joint Defence Agreement” aimed at strengthening collective deterrence against any act of aggression, the Foreign Office (FO) said. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and Türkiye’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan signed the pact, “reflecting the three states’ shared commitment to further strengthening their collective security and to promoting peace, security, and stability in the region and beyond, in pursuit of a secure and prosperous future”, the FO said. “The agreement is intended to strengthen collective deterrence against any act of aggression, and stipulates that any armed attack against any one of the three States shall be regarded as an attack against them all,” it noted. The pact also “provides for the enhancement of all aspects of defence cooperation” among the three countries, the FO statement added.

Earlier in the day, PM Shehbaz, accompanied by Chief of Defence Forces and Chief of the Army Staff Field Marshal Asim Munir, met with the Saudi crown prince in Makkah on Friday. PM Shehbaz arrived in Saudi Arabia on a three-day official visit on Thursday. The Foreign Office (FO) has noted that although the visit was taking place amid heightened tensions in the Gulf, it carries “significance beyond the immediate crises and short-term considerations”. In a statement on Friday afternoon, the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) said a bilateral meeting between PM Shehbaz and the Saudi crown prince was underway. It added that Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, CDF Munir, and Defence Minister Khawaja Asif were also present on the occasion. The premier was welcomed by Crown Prince Salman upon his arrival at the Al-Safa Palace in Makkah. According to an earlier statement by the FO, discussions between the two leaders would “focus on consolidating the Pakistan-Saudi bilateral relations as well as exchange of views on regional and international developments of mutual interests”. The FO noted that the visit will “further strengthen bilateral relations, deepen strategic cooperation, enhance coordination on regional and international issues of mutual interest, and reinforce multilateral cooperation”. “The visit marks Pakistan’s long-standing partnership with the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia anchored in decades of mutual trust, cooperation and brotherhood,” it emphasised.

Erdogan was expected to meet with PM Shehbaz and the Saudi crown prince today during his one-day visit to the kingdom, Anadolu Agency reported. Erdogan landed at King Abdulaziz International Airport in Jeddah, from where he departed for Makkah by road, the Turkish news outlet reported.

PM Shehbaz had landed in Jeddah on Thursday, where he was received by Makkah’s Deputy Governor Prince Saud bin Mishal bin Abdulaziz. CDF Munir later joined the Pakistani delegation, which also includes Information Minister Attaullah Tarar and Special Assistant to PM Tariq Fatemi. On Friday morning, the delegation visited the Holy Kaaba and performed Umrah, the PMO said. PM Shehbaz is also set to visit Masjid-i-Nabvi (PBUH) in Madina.

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